Method and apparatus for unclogging a toilet

ABSTRACT

A toilet unclogging device rests on top of a toilet bowl rim and a user actuating a diaphragm or expandable central portion generates a temporary vacuum that repositions or reshapes an obstruction located below a water line to unclog the toilet without submerging any items beneath the water line of the toilet bowl.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 11/714,608, filed Mar. 5, 2007, which claims the benefit of thefiling date under 35 USC §119(e) of U.S. patent application Ser. No.60/780,769 filed Mar. 9, 2006 the entire contents of which are herebyincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a section view of a toilet 100. The toilet may have a seat 142and a lid 140. The toilet 100 has a tank 104 in fluid and aircommunication with a bowl 106 through a series of jets 108. The tank 104holds a volume of water in an inner tank area 110. A flush handle 112 iscoupled to a flush valve 114 with a chain or rope. When the flush handle112 is actuated by a user, the chain or rope causes the flush valve 114to open and the water in the inner tank area 110 flows towards and thenthrough the jets 108 and into an inner toilet bowl area 116. Water andwaste in the inner toilet bowl area 116 then flows through a siphon 118near the base of the toilet bowl 106 which is in fluid communicationwith a sewer pipe 120. The flush valve 114 eventually closes and thetank 104 starts filling back up with water for the next flush. A fillervalve 128 allows water to flow through an overflow tube 102 and into thebowl 106 through the jets 108. A filler float 126 closes off the fillervalve 128 when water in the inner tank area 110 reaches a predeterminedheight and the toilet is ready to be flushed again.

Toilet paper, paper towels, or other items dropped in the toilet bowlmay become lodged in the siphon 118 and prevent the water and waste fromexiting the inner toilet bowl area 116 which in turn can cause the waterlevel in the inner toilet bowl area 116 to rise above a normal level122. If the water rises too high (above a toilet bowl rim 124), thetoilet waste and water can spill on to the adjacent floor and causedamage.

Plungers have been used for many years to help unclog a clogged toilet.These plungers typically have a rubber membrane in a hemispherical shapeconnected to a pole. The rubber membrane is submerged in a toilet bowland the user pushes the pole downward numerous times in an attempt topush the clog towards the sewer line. Pushing the obstruction towardsthe sewer line often simply wedges the obstruction in place. Themembrane returns to its original shape when pressure against the rim ofthe plunger is removed and the user can push again. Another drawback tothis system is that the rubber membrane and a portion of the pole comeinto contact with the waste that would not flush which presentssanitation issues and limits where the plunger can be stored.

Other unclogging devices have been placed on top of and secured to thetoilet bowl rim with an adhesive. The user attempts to dislodge the clogby pushing a membrane downward (towards the water line in the toiletbowl area). This pushing motion attempts to move the clog by increasingthe pressure in the area above the water line in the inner toilet bowlarea. The problem with this type of system is that this increase inpressure often causes the flush valve to reopen which then adds morewater to a toilet bowl area with an already elevated water line. Some oftheses unclogging devices require the user to remove the tank cover andplace a stopper over the top of the overflow tube to decrease thepressure loss.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, together with otherobjects, features and advantages, reference should be made to thefollowing detailed description which should be read in conjunction withthe following figures wherein like numerals represent like parts:

FIG. 1 is a section view of a toilet with a seat and a lid hinged in anupward position.

FIG. 2 is a section view of a clogged toilet and a first uncloggingdevice in a first state consistent with a first embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 3 is a section view of a toilet with the unclogging device of FIG.2 in a second state and a reshaped or repositioned clog.

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the unclogging device of FIG. 2 in thefirst state.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the unclogging device of FIG. 2 in thesecond state.

FIG. 6 is a section view of a clogged toilet and a second uncloggingdevice in a first state consistent with a second embodiment of theinvention.

FIG. 7 is a section view of a toilet with the unclogging device of FIG.6 in a second state and a reshaped or repositioned clog.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 2 is a section view of a clogged toilet 100 and an uncloggingdevice 200 in a first state consistent with a first embodiment of theinvention and FIG. 3 is a section view of the toilet 100 with theunclogging device 200 of FIG. 2 in a second state. An obstruction 220may be located in the siphon 118 which may cause the water level in theinner toilet bowl area 116 to rise to an elevated level 130, above thenormal level 122. The unclogging device 200 may have a diaphragm 202movable between the first state and the second state. In the firststate, a central portion of the diaphragm 202 is closer to the waterline 130 in the inner toilet bowl area 116 and in the second state thecentral portion of the diaphragm 202 is further away from the water line130. The diaphragm 202 may be a bellows and in the first state as shownin FIG. 2 (compressed state) the bellows has a smaller internal volumethan in the second state as shown in FIG. 3 (extended state). Thediaphragm shape may be circular, oval, rectangular, polygonal or otherwhen viewed from above. A rectangular bellows having dimensions 5″×8″and being 12″ tall in the expanded state has been shown to work well.

The diaphragm 202 may be coupled to a base portion 204 that has a bottomsurface 206. The bottom surface 206 may be configured to contact thetoilet bowl rim 124. The base portion 204 may be sized such that thebottom surface 206 contacts a variety of differently sized and shapedtoilet bowl rims. A handle portion 208 may be coupled to the diaphragm202 for pulling the diaphragm 202 from the first state to the secondstate. Although the handle portion 208 is shown as a having an enclosedspace for a hand to grasp, a handle could be considered any feature thatcan be grasped, seized, held, or taken advantage of in pulling thediaphragm to the second state. The handle does not have to be pulledvertically. Any diaphragm having a handle that can be pulled to create atemporary vacuum would work. The diaphragm 202 and the base portion 204may be integrally formed at the same time of the same material or themay be formed separately and then coupled together. The diaphragm 202may be made of any flexible material, including but not limited torubber, plastic, fabric, reinforced plastic fabric, and reinforced PVCfabric, for example 0.040″ thick Durolast roofing material.

To reposition or reshape the obstruction 220 and thereby unclog thetoilet, the user places the base portion 204 with the bottom surface 206of the unclogging device 200 into contact with the toilet bowl rim 124forming a seal, maintains the bottom surface 206 in contact with thetoilet bowl rim 124, and then pulls quickly upward on the handle portion208. Obstructions are often repositioned and/or reshaped enough to causethe water level to return to a more normal level with a single pull. Theuser may maintain the bottom surface 206 of the base portion 204 incontact with toilet bowl rim with the user's non-handle pulling hand,and/or an opposite side foot or knee, or with the toilet seat 142. Asingle pull of the handle portion 208 upward may create a temporaryvacuum in the area above the water line in the inner toilet bowl area116 which in turn may pull the whole obstruction 220 towards the waterline in the toilet bowl or simply reposition or reshape the obstruction220 enough that water in the inner toilet bowl area 116 can pass theobstruction 220. Since proper actuation of the unclogging device fromthe first state to the second state causes the pressure in the areaabove the water line in the inner toilet bowl area 116 to decrease asopposed to increase, the flush valve will not be forced open (whichwould cause more water to enter the toilet bowl area). The distance theuser moves the handle 208 and the rate at which the handle 208 is movedmay affect the amount of temporary vacuum formed. Typically the pull iscompleted in less than two seconds. After the vacuum has moved theobstruction closer to the water line in the toilet bowl, the obstructionmay be repositioned or reshaped and the passing water may then naturallymove the obstruction 220 with it and travel down the sewer line 120. Ifthe obstruction 220 does not pass and the water level is low and safe,the user may then actuate the flush handle 112 on the toilet to addwater above the obstruction 220, which may naturally move theobstruction 220 towards the sewer line 120.

If the clog is still not repositioned or sufficiently reshaped, the usercan separate the unclogging device 200 from the toilet bowl rim 124enough to break the seal with the toilet bowl rim 124 in order to resetthe bellows to the start position, and try again. The unclogging device200 ideally never comes in contact with the water and waste in the innertoilet bowl area 116 and thus is more sanitary and efficient. Thebellows can be returned to the compressed state for storage under a sinkor in a closet.

When the bottom surface 206 of the unclogging device 200 is placed incontact with the toilet bowl rim 124 and the diaphragm 202 is pulledupward, air may leak into the inner toilet bowl area 116 through theoverflow tube which is fluidly open to the jets 108, without adverselyaffecting the vacuum created and the successful operation; even withoutblocking air from entering the overflow tube 102 in the inner tank area110.

FIG. 6 is a section view of a clogged toilet 100 and a second embodimentunclogging device 200′ in a first state consistent with a secondembodiment of the invention and FIG. 7 is a section view of the toilet100 with the second embodiment unclogging device 200′ of FIG. 6 in asecond state. As shown, the diaphragm 202′ may have a hemisphericalshape. In the first state, a central portion of the diaphragm 202′ mayextend below the toilet bowl rim 124 and in the second state the centralportion of the diaphragm may extend above the toilet bowl rim 124. Toreposition or reshape the obstruction 220 and thereby unclog the toilet,the user places a base portion 204′ with a bottom surface 206′ of theunclogging device 200′ into contact with the toilet bowl rim 124,maintains the bottom surface 206′ in contact with the toilet bowl rim124, and then pulls quickly upward on a handle portion 208′.

Although several preferred embodiments of the present invention havebeen described in detail herein, the invention is not limited hereto. Itwill be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art thatvarious modifications can be made without materially departing from thenovel and advantageous teachings of the invention. Accordingly, theembodiments disclosed herein are by way of example. It is to beunderstood that the scope of the invention is not to be limited thereby.

1. A method of unclogging a toilet having an obstruction located below awater line in a toilet bowl, comprising the steps of: configuring amoveable central portion having a base portion into a compressed state;placing a bottom surface of the base portion into contact with a toiletbowl rim; maintaining the bottom surface in contact with the toilet bowlrim; and pulling quickly on a handle coupled to the moveable centralportion to create a temporary vacuum in an area above the water line toreposition or reshape the obstruction.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising the step of actuating a flush handle on the toilet to addwater above the obstruction to naturally move the obstruction towards asewer line coupled to the toilet.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein theplacing of the bottom surface of the base portion into contact with thetoilet bowl rim forms an air tight seal therebetween.
 4. The method ofclaim 1, wherein a user's hand and either a foot or a knee is used tomaintain the bottom surface of the base portion in contact with thetoilet bowl rim.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein a toilet seat is usedto maintain the bottom surface of the base portion in contact with thetoilet bowl rim.